Fire in the Sky
by Elkpelt the Wolf-Chalk
Summary: "The blankets were still tangled around her legs and waist from when she fell out of bed. The flashing lights and loud bangs made her hypersensitive, dilated red eyes seeking out Po in the realm of creeping awareness. Her paws had frantically reached out, grabbing thin air..." [Tigress/Po] /One-Shot/
_**Author's Note** : _A little something I wanted to write when the inspiration just wouldn't let me be. This is based around a headcanon of mine where Tigress suffered from nightmares and a fear of fireworks after Gongmen. This is before Po and the Five return to the Valley but before they leave Gongmen. I apologize if it seems OOC. _.._

* * *

 _"Po! Get away from him!"_

"NO!"

"NO!"

 _ **"NOOOO**_ ** _!"_**

She hid her face within her large calloused hands, away from the rainbow lights of fireworks that exploded above. They had woken her from her sleep, nightmares mixing with reality at the sharp whistle that would fill the air before a loud bang carried her friend into the night...

 _She had lost the will to fight any further, the aftershocks of the blast sent her sprawling. Dazed she screamed into the darkness with heartbreak on every word until she forgot that the Chinese language didn't consist of only no. Tigress was dragged to her feet by gorillas and wolves, throat feeling raw and yelling in hysteria. Tigress remembered everything fading to black as she came in and out of consciousness, each time she felt as if her heart was cauterized over and over again..._

Tigress appreciated that Po hadn't probed for answers when he'd poked his head into her quarters. All she had been was a silhouette in the darkness of her hotel room, visibly shaking and bowing toward the window.

 _She had a feeling she must have woken up screaming, her mouth wide and distressed. The blankets were still tangled around her legs and waist from when she fell out of bed. The flashing lights and loud bangs made her hypersensitive, dilated red eyes seeking out Po in the realm of creeping awareness. Her paws had frantically reached out, grabbing thin air._

 _When she realized that she was alright and that it had only been a horrible nightmare, she'd crawled weakly back onto her bed. Raggedy breaths tumbled from her panting maws, ears flat against her head. Morbidly Tigress watched the fireworks outside her window before she just couldn't handle it any further, burrowing her pained face into the heels of her palms._

The panda didn't need to ask permission to sit beside her on the wooden bed, even as it bent under his weight. His paw rested itself on her shoulder, squeezing the area comfortingly. He was warm and solid, just what she needed after once again watching him die. When Tigress eventually found the strength to lift her face up, he was smiling at her.

Tigress wasn't one to cry, especially over petty dreams but seeing him before her illuminated by the colorful fireworks' light caused something within her to awaken. Her lower lip trembled softly. Tigress could feel her eyes growing moist and she wondered if Po could see his reflection from them. A lone tear carved it's way down her face and breathing loudly, she finally said something. Her arm lifted to wipe along her cheek.

"Thank you, Po."

Po didn't say anything but wormed his meaty arm over her back to hug her, which the tiger eagerly responded to by resting her forehead beneath his chin. Rocking her gently, the explosions in the background didn't seem so terrifying now.

"It's OK yanno," she heard him say as she close her eyes.

"I know, I know."

He pressed his face into her neck and Tigress felt him smile. "I'll stay here if you want me to."

"Please do," Tigress answered, hushed. She felt like a cub again, small and folded under comforting arms. Only back then it had been Oogway who dished out safety when the night terrors became too much for a little girl.

He wrapped his other arm around her stomach and Tigress didn't complain as they were molded into one another. She could feel the bandaging that wrapped around his large, plush body brush under her elbows and paws as she held him.

He still sported the worst of Gongmen's infliction. She too didn't leave the battlefield unscathed, her wrappings matched with the panda's almost to exact verbatim. She felt his fingers idly touch the ones at her neck, tentative and sad.

A particularly loud hiss of a firework caused her to stiffen in his embrace, the fur along her neck standing up. She clenched her paws into fists as they lay upon his broad chest. Po moved a paw to rub tenderly between her shoulder blades. When the explosion went off, Tigress was ashamed to hear her breath hitch.

"I was scared too."

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," she whispered.

"Don't say that. It's my fault I was stupid," he replied soothingly.

Tigress only sighed deeply, "I... I thought I lost you..."

Po angled his face so they were pressed cheek to cheek, Tigress idly rubbed her jawline against his in a typical cat-like fondness. He chuckled as her whiskers tickled his face.

The giant panda fell quiet and Tigress felt something wet touch her neck. "I thought I lost you too and I was so mad. Please don't ever do that again," he told her, speaking in hushed tones.

She pulled away and looking into his eyes, she shook her head in slow defiance. "I can't watch my friend be killed."

"And you think _I_ can?" Po challenged in a harsh whisper, blinking his eyes away of further tears.

But it was too late, she'd seen him cry. Tigress reached her paw up to touch a stray few tears at his damp eyepatches, eventually stopping to cup his cheek comfortingly. "You are my best friend Po. I love you enough to know I couldn't make a promise I'll end up breaking."

He sighed heavily through his nostrils, hooking his arms around her tightly to hug her close once again. "Why do you have to be so awesome all the time?" He uttered into her shoulder. Tigress held him gently against her. "Why can't you just..."

An explosion went off above them and Tigress sniffled softly, staring vacantly over the panda's back towards the window. Colors of all kinds filled the night and the scent of smoke tickled her senses. She wasn't even aware she'd began crying until Po was holding her face near his, calling her name.

She didn't weep loudly at all, only letting the tears fall slowly down her face. Tigress was silent as the stars, only a twinkle from light showing the glow of her pain.

Brokenness was evident upon her face and Po looked toward the fireworks, unable to break her from the trance she seemed to be included in.

All she could think of was how close she'd been to losing everyone she loved, flashing back to just watching helplessly as Po was shot into the night. How her fur burned at how close she'd been to pulling him into the safe haven of her arms. Instead, he'd been killed and Tigress never hated herself more than she did then.

 _She failed him. Po was supposed to be alive, she should have been the one sent soaring into the night upon a ball of exploded fire. His innocent life..._

Tigress wasn't sure how long he held her to himself, suddenly she was just curled up on his lap with her face hidden against his belly. His arms blanketed over her shaking frame, listening as she whispered apology after apology of how sorry she was for failing him. His muzzle touched her brow gently, dragging his lips over the fur as he spoke.

"Tigress..."

Like in the harbor she was roused from the shadowy place she dwelled, following her name like a beacon to him. Tiredly, Tigress lifted her face to him, worn to the very bone and perhaps even further. Po nuzzled her face to his as he bent further to meet her.

"You could never, _ever_ fail me." Tigress weakly croaked a protest that he immediately silenced. "I mean it!"

"You saved my life Tigress," he continued. "That's something I can't ever repay you for. I'm the one who's sorry, okay? I'm so sorry I put you through this hurt."

For once in her life she had nothing more to say but didn't budge from the safety his touch possessed. Throughout the night he remained with her until Gongmen shot off its last firework. By then she was drifting away back to the realm of dreams, the last once of her energy finally spent. She was limp in his arms and she struggled to break away from unconsciousness. Po only hushed her with a hum to send her back despite her sleepy protesting.

He gently placed her upon her bed, pulling the blankets over his friend as if she were a child. Po fluffed her pillow and tucked her in so she was caccooned in warmth. Tigress called out to him in her dreams and the panda gingerly leaned over her. His black paws braced themselves over her head.

"We're OK Ti," he told her. "Go back to sleep, it's alright."

"Don't go... don't _die_..." the mumbled response was. "You won't come back... _the canons_..."

Po smiled at her and for the second time that night he kissed her forehead. As if breaking the curse in a fairy tale, she became suddenly very serene. Still and breathing calmly, he beamed down at the tiger before beginning to finally make his leave from her room.

Casting her one last look, Po gently shut the door, nearly missing out on the long drawn out sigh that signified the conclusion of her nightmares.

The fire in the sky wouldn't be tormenting her any longer for tonight.


End file.
